Final Stats

Pepperdine-South Alabama Box Score

MALIBU, Calif. - Stacy Davis had 20 points and 10 rebounds and the Pepperdine men's basketball team used a 22-3 second-half run to rally past South Alabama, 78-68, in a Gotham Classic game on Monday night at Firestone Fieldhouse.

The Waves improved to 6-2 (4-0 at home) after the first contest of the four-game event, while the Jaguars fell to 2-5.

Davis (Laveen, Ariz./Fairfax HS), a junior forward who is a returning All-WCC first teamer, had his second double-double of the season and the 14th of his career. The Waves have won the last eight times when Davis posts a double-double. He also had four assists and two blocked shots.

Junior forward Jett Raines (Coppell, Texas/Coppell HS) and freshman guard Shawn Olden (Tulsa, Okla./Union HS) each had 12 points. The rest of the Waves that scored all played contributing roles: sophomore guard Jeremy Major (Pasadena, Calif./Maranatha HS) with eight points and six assists, junior guard Atif Russell (Katy, Texas/Seven Lakes HS) with seven points and a career-high-tying seven rebounds, sophomore guard Amadi Udenyi (Oakland, Calif./De La Salle HS/St. Thomas More) with seven points and six assists, redshirt freshman guard A.J. Lapray (Salem, Ore./Sprague HS/Oregon) with the first seven points of his college career and sophomore forward David Jesperson (Merrill, Wis./Merrill HS) with five points.

South Alabama led 37-36 early in the second half, but then Russell ignited a 17-0 run with a three-pointer, while Davis had eight of his points. South Alabama went scoreless for more than six minutes, and even after a Jaguar three-point play, Lapray hit a three-pointer and made a lay-up to extend the run to 22-3 and put Pepperdine ahead 58-40 with under 11 minutes to go.

South Alabama did respond with a 10-0 run, but the Jaguars got no closer than five points the rest of the way.

All six of Pepperdine's victories this season have come by double-digits. The Waves shot 47.5% for the game, including 55.2% after halftime, while holding South Alabama to 38.3% shooting. Pepperdine committed a season-low seven turnovers and made 18 of 22 free throws (81.8%).

After the Waves began the game with an 8-5 lead, the Jaguars made three straight three-pointers to go in front 14-8. USA pushed the lead to as many as nine points, first at 25-16 and last at 31-22 with less than five minutes to play in the first half. But Pepperdine ended the half on a 12-2 run as Jesperson scored all five of his points and Russell made a jumper at the buzzer, putting the Waves up 34-33 at the break.

Pepperdine continues the Gotham Classic at home on Wednesday (Dec. 17) against Howard at 7 p.m. in Firestone Fieldhouse. Fans can watch the game online via WaveCasts at PepperdineSports.com.